69novels Chapter 16 Obedience and Choice
Chapter 16 Obedience and Choice
"It seems you need more, even greater glory, kid."
"You need it, right? Okay, I need it too, no, I want it."
After signing with Pelinka, Wang Kai continued to discuss with Kobe how to change the plan in his private space.
The original plan was to sign Pelinka and then avoid being drafted by the Lakers as much as possible, but Kobe was indirectly influenced by his relationship with Pelinka.
However, Wang Kai still cannot say what he wants to say in front of Pelinka, so the plan must be changed. Wang Kai needs to gain more glory and prestige as soon as possible so that he may be able to have normal contact with Pelinka or even his current partner in the future.
As for why he signed with Pelinka, firstly, maintaining this relationship was important, and secondly, Pelinka was obedient enough.
With Lao Ke by his side, Wang Kai doesn't need an agent to dictate his future; he only needs a "secrecy officer" who can obediently carry out the plan.
After signing with Pelinka, Wang Kai said he needed to consider his future options, and Pelinka obediently left. While Wang Kai is important, he is just one of the players Kobe is currently paying attention to, and Pelinka's most important task is to "serve" Kobe well right now.
Pelinka attended Lake Forest High School in Illinois, where he was considered a star player. However, his performance in the NCAA was mediocre, averaging less than three points, rebounds, and assists per game.
After graduating from college, Pelinka worked as an agent, but his career remained stagnant until he became involved with Kobe Bryant, at which point he truly embarked on the path to becoming a top agent.
It can be said that while Pelinka possesses a certain level of professionalism, he consistently maintains that he is the kind of person who can control the situation.
Therefore, in Lao Ke's opinion, Wang Kai now needs an obedient agent to carry out the plans he and Wang Kai have made.
As for which team to choose next, Kobe is actually very conflicted.
The Lakers definitely won't consider it. Although Kobe can still exist at Los Angeles Airport now, no one can guarantee that he will still be able to exist once he reaches Staples Center and gets closer to the current Kobe.
We can't even consider some weak teams. Wang Kai needs to make a name for himself in the short term, and Kobe also needs Wang Kai to win the championship as soon as possible before he can try to get closer to Kobe or his family. It may feel good to pad his stats on a weak team, but reality doesn't allow it.
This means that Western Conference teams don't have many options left.
The Spurs were the champions in the 04-05 season, but their roster was too fixed. The "Big Three" (Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili) were firmly in place, and Wang Kai could only rank fourth after joining the team. In fact, based on Kobe's understanding of the old man, it was hard to say whether Wang Kai would get good playing time in his rookie season. After all, Wang Kai was known for his excellent three-point shooting. In the following season, Popovich, who had never liked three-pointers, was completely overwhelmed by the Mavericks' three-point shooting.
The Nuggets didn't even consider it, as Anthony and Wang Kai's positions overlapped, and Kobe knew that the Nuggets had no hope of winning a championship for the next decade or so.
The Mavericks are not an option either. The Mavericks have a good roster, with solid defensive roles in the paint by Eric Dampier and Diop, and good shooting range on the perimeter. Their core player, Nowitzki, averaged 26.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in the 04-05 season, with a field goal percentage of 45.9%, a three-point percentage of 39.9%, and a free throw percentage of 86.9%. He was already one of the league's top power forwards.
However, and this is the most important "however," the Mavericks' current head coach, Avery Jensen, only knows one lineup and doesn't know any other. Once this lineup is figured out, he's helpless.
Many coaches in the league can only play a certain lineup if you give them a certain number of players. Top coaches can find a way to mold any players you give them into the lineup they want. But Avery Johnson can only play a single lineup if you give him a Nowitzki.
So after being upset by the Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs and leaving the team, Avery Johnson completely fell into decline, only briefly coaching the Nets before leaving the NBA altogether.
Moreover, the Mavericks' owner, Mark Cuban, is a troublemaker. Relying on his wealth, he is sharp-tongued and has offended not only the referees but also the league's top management.
"You think you can just run away after offending the abbot? The abbot is the most vengeful man."
The Grizzlies, Clippers, Kings, and other mainstream teams never even considered having Wang Kai join them.
That leaves only the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference as a team to consider.
Looking at the East, the Pistons are a team we absolutely cannot go to. Milicic is still struggling with the Pistons. Although Larry Brown has left, Milicic still has no chance with the Pistons. This team will be a so-called rookie black hole for the next few years.
He can't go to the Cavaliers either. Kobe knows James' character very well; that guy's morals are terrible.
After the Auburn Hills Palace incident, the Pacers were almost in a rebuilding phase and unable to go.
Even Wang Kai himself wouldn't consider teams like the Bulls, Bucks, Wizards, and Nets.
Ultimately, the only team that could join from the East was the Heat.
But for Kobe, choosing the Heat to let Wang Kai join was a bit of a slap in the face, since that fat guy is now on the Heat.
"The Suns are a good team, and the head coach likes guys who can shoot threes. However, the Suns have a lot of players who can play on the wing, so the competition you'll face will definitely be fierce. Also, the Suns lack players who can really perform in tough games, and their defense is not good either. These weaknesses will make things extremely difficult for them in the playoffs."
"The Suns' current owner is extremely stingy, and this Suns roster won't last long."
Kobe introduced the situation of each team to Wang Kai. Although Kobe subconsciously hoped that Wang Kai would choose the Suns, he did not hide the Suns' shortcomings.
"As for the Heat, I have to admit that that fat guy is still useful in crucial moments, and Wade is a good guy. He's not that domineering and is willing to help newcomers to the team. He values the championship and is willing to give up some of his own interests for it."
"The Heat's manager, Pat Riley, is a very shrewd old man who only cares about interests and not personal relationships. He's very pragmatic."
"That's the situation. It's up to you to decide. While I hope you choose the Suns, to be honest, the Heat might be the real fit for you. You've spent four years in Florida, so you have a strong foundation. With your abilities, you could become the third star on the Heat, and they won the championship this season. It's up to you to decide."
"Old Ke, you really don't care if I go with that fatso?"